September 10, 1977: Rita Coolidge has the best selling single on the Cashbox chart with her cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher”

September 10, 1977:

Rita Coolidge has the best selling single on the Cashbox chart with her cover of Jackie Wilson’s

"Higher and Higher”

A song that Jackie
—MR. EXCITEMENT--
Wilson
had only managed to take to #6 in 1967…

 GO FIGURE!!!

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Tropical Jon's Evolution of Rock 'n Roll: April 18, 1960 ~ Barrett Strong hits #23 on the Charts with "Money (That's What I Want), Spawning 79 charted covers of the tune to date...Check it out!

April 18, 1960: Barrett Strong hits #23 with "Money (That's What I Want)"

And it seems like EVERYBODY jumped onboard, wantin’ some $$$ TOO!!!

Mickey Mouse and his Gang--Including Uncle Scrooge-- 
did a great cover (Sounding A LOT like the Barrett Strong original…) 

'Money' was the pick of the songs the Beatles recorded for their Decca Audition live in the studio on 1 January 1962—With Pete Best on drums, no less:

Sister Etta James recorded the tune at the New Era Club (Nashville) in 1963:

Also in 1963: The Beatles take another shot at the tune (this time with Ringo):

Circa 1966, The Kingsmen wanted some money, too:

1969:  John Lennon & Plastic Ono Band did it live in Toronto

 (Gotta follow this link,
embedding has been disabled—Sorry)

In an Italian show, in 1970: Stevie Wonder makes it clear that he wants a piece of this MONEY action, too!!!

Hell, even The Stooges covered the tune in ’72:

NOTE: The above was from the album “More Power” which was recorded in 1972 – 1973 but not released until 2009. It was dedicated to Ron Asheton (R.I.P. Ronnie)

June 30th 1980, Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany: Led Zepplin still wants money…

Then there’s the relative newcomer, Bruno Mars: Bruno Mars - Money (That' What I Want), Billionaire, & I Wanna Be Rich Medley (The Grove, Los Angeles) 09-17-10

IN FACT: There are 79 charted covers of this GREAT Barrett Strong tune:

Check out the list on Wikipedia…

THANKS BARRETT!!!

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"Mama Didn't Lie" Peaked at #14 on March 9, 1963 ~ But Whose Tune Is It Anyway!?!

March 9. 1963: Jan Bradley hits #14 with "Mama Didn't Lie". 

Jan Bradley scored big with the tune
in 1963...

Also in 1963, the tune was covered by The Orlons…Another GREAT version...

LP Produced by Curtis Mayfield

Then in 1965: Derrick Harriot covered it for Island Records:

SO, Why's Curtis Mayfield's picture at the top of this page???

Although Curtis Mayfield has left a remarkable legacy for his introduction of social consciousness into R&B and is well known for pioneering the funk style; and it's no secret that many of his recordings with the Impressions became anthems of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s,                                                                      and that his most famous album, Super Fly

is regarded as an all-time great that influenced many and truly invented a new style of modern black music—                                                      

The fact is that "Mama Didn't Lie" was written by Curtis Mayfield and released on his Mayfield label in 1963 by the Fascinations leads me to believe their version came first. And, it’s not a bad version…

                                    

“Mama Didn’t Lie”

was one of Curtis Mayfield's first hits and many folks don't even know that!

R.I.P. CURTIS MAYFIELD

'Cause "Mama Didn't Lie"

Thanks for the Music ~ And Everything Else, Too!!!

 

THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED